Sci Paper Checklist

Checklist for a scientific paper about a study (research report)

Note that many lab reports are based on all or some of these components.

TITLE

· Key terms appropriate for indexing

· 10-12 words (include a verb if possible)

· Possible content: problem, hypothesis, or theory; phenomenon investigated, method, results

ABSTRACT

Purpose: summarize the most important ideas from each section of the paper so readers understand enough to know if the research is relevant to their own questions.

· Short summary of whole paper (all sections).

· Concise, accurate, objective description

· Must stand alone

· Text only (no illustrations, abbreviations, references)

Note: Write the abstract last.

INTRODUCTION

Purpose: to demonstrate to readers that your research question is important and unresolved.

· General subject area and its significance: develop and define the research question. Explain the value and meaningfulness of your question so readers believe it’s worth studying.

· State of knowledge: present most relevant ideas and information to help your reader understand what the unsolved problem or controversy is and how it comes to be unresolved. You will need to cite key details from previous studies to support your synthesis.

· The relevant unanswered question(s): what unresolved aspect makes it an issue

· Major objectives/purposes: state your precise purpose to set the stage for the rest of the paper. By the end of the introduction readers should know precisely the goals of your research.

· Hypothesis or research question or both

METHODS

Purpose: to describe your experiment design so the reader understands how this study is best suited to answering the research question and could replicate the study from reading your report.

· Participants/subjects (including consent information): describe subjects so readers understand what population the results apply to. Readers will be interested to understand what characteristics your subjects had so that they can consider how far beyond the immediate population it’s possible to generalize your results.

· Equipment: detailed account of equipment used in the study.

· Procedures: describe the procedures in enough detail that readers know exactly how results were obtained. Cover both the procedures to collect data and those to analyze data.

· Specific and detailed enough: be specific enough so the reader understands how the study was performed as a way to answer the research question. Include the most important details.

RESULTS

Purpose: to present your data to give readers a realistic picture of central trends and the range of results.

· Summary of data (trends): the results section does not present all of the raw data from any study. It summarizes the highlights carefully, so readers end up with a fair, complete, and accurate understanding of what data you found.

· Explanatory details

· Range of results

· Unusual results: present any other significant, unexpected results.

Note: Usually includes tables/figures

DISCUSSION

Purpose: to share your understanding of how your results answer the research question (or not) and how the state of knowledge has changed now that your results are part of it.

· Interpret results: What do they mean? Do data support, refute, or alter the hypothesis? Interpret the key aspects of your results and offer reasoned conclusions about what your results mean in answer to the research question.

· What mechanisms could explain how and why the results are as they are: explain known or potential mechanisms in order to defend the likelihood and logic of your conclusions

· Compare to other work (the state of knowledge): show readers how your study’s results, interpretations, and conclusions relate to those from previous studies on this issue. Compare the studies and look for both common and different results, look for differences in interpretations, and try to explain differences between study outcomes if they exist. When scientists find common outcomes among studies, they can be more confident in their results and in the knowledge gained.

· Mention limitations of this study and the new state of knowledge: good scientific writers admit to limitations in their research that might have made their interpretations and conclusions imperfect. They also analyze what gaps still exist in the greater body of knowledge.

· Suggest future research to fill knowledge gaps that still exist: by suggesting detailed ideas for future research the writer shows how limitations to conclusions in the present study and the body of knowledge can be overcome.

Note: Could have a thesis statement about your overall conclusions

REFERENCES

· All necessary ones (only the ones you read)

· Accurate, in correct style

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

· Thank anyone who helped get the project done: e.g., funder(s), subjects/participants, workers who are not authors